Self-loading boat carrier



P 26, 1967 r w. K. MORRISON 3,343,696

' SELF-LOADING BOAT CARRIER Filed Oct. 20, 1965 I 5 h -Sheet 1 IN V ENTOR. fl/d/E KWWQ/Sm/ Sept. 26, 1967 w. K. MORRISON SELF-LOADING BOATCARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20, 1965 INVENTOR. AWWflQQ/SQA/ IWEL Wyn/E P 1967 w. K. MORRISON 3,343,696

SELF-LOADING BOAT CARRIER Filed Oct. 20, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 UnitedStates Patent M 3,343,696 SELF-LOADING BOAT CARRIER Wayne K. Morrison,1334 Grand Ave., Oroville, Calif. 95965 Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No.498,348 Claims. (Cl. 214-450) The present invention relates to a new andimproved hoisting apparatus for a boat carrier, and more particularlyrelates to a frame for a boat carrier that is constructed of industrialsteel tubing, or other suitable material, and mechanical components, allof which provide a boat carrier that is adapted for use as a carriagefor boats on a pick-up truck, or an automobile.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a boat carrierwhich facilitates tricing the boat onto the boat carrier arrangementwith a minimum of effort and ease of operation of the several mechanicalcomponents of the frame and boat carrier.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unique self-loadingboat carrier having the advantages and features provided by the simpleconstruction and ease in operation of the combined parts.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon full consideration of the following detailed descriptionand accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a pick-up truck having the boatcarrier of the invention, and in which a boat is disposed thereon;

FIG. 2 is a rear and side perspective view of the manner in which theapparatus is used to introduce a boat onto the boat carrier inaccordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a roof-mounted pulley mechanism used to allow the supportbar of the boat carrier to ride thereon;

FIG. 4 shows the manner in which the mechanism is adaptable for use witha coupe or sedan type automobile; and

FIG. 5 shows a plan elevation view of the boat carrier shown in FIG. 4,in which part of the automobile is shown in dotted line.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, apick-up truck 10, a Y-frame comprising two upper arms 14, 14, and alower extension or arm 16, and in which the ends of the upper arms 14,14 are provided with hinge means 18, 18. At the free end of arm 16,there are mounted opposing extension arms 20, 22, and on the endsthereof are mounted pulleys 24, 26 for a cable 28 to pass thereover, asshown by the arrows 30, 32, 34, 36; and which is wound up upon the winch40 as it may be turned by the crank arm 24 in the manner shown by thearrow 44. The winch 40 is mounted centrally of the Y-frame and beneathit so that a boat 50 upon being engaged by a hook 52 may be drawn uponthe Y-frarne, shown in FIG. 2, until it is stowed in the position shownin FIG. 1. The cable 28 not only passes from the hook 52 over the pulley24 and pulley 26, but also over the pulley 6t) and then back over apulley 62 which is mounted centrally of a roof-mounted pulley mechanism64 which comprises each of two arms 66, 66, in which their end membersare hooked about to form hooks 68, 68 which may 'be engaged to themolding about a cab of the truck 10. Turn buckles or bolt mechanisms 70,70 are adapted to secure the pulley mounting mechanism 64 securely inplace so that the pulley 62 is firmly mounted upon the cab of the truck10. From a U-shaped bracket 72, as shown in FIG. 3, there is mounted alarge pulley or roller 74 for the leg 16 of 3,343,696 Patented Sept. 26,1967 the Y-frame to roll upon as it is displaced from either theposition of FIG. 1 to that of FIG. 2, and reversely. The cable thenpasses from pulley 62 onto the winch 40, as has been described above. Onthe upper end of the Y-frame, such as on the arms 14, 14, there areprovided glides 80, to assist in mounting the boat upon the Y-fra-me andinto its stowed position as shown in FIG. 1. A roller 82 providesrolling action between the keel of the boat and the Y-frame, and it issupported from a transverse member connecting the hinges 18, 18 and theupper ends of the Y-frame 12.

The pulley 74 may also be called a frame tongue roller, since it allowsthe Y-frame 12 to roll over it, as shown. The extension or arm 16extendsto terminate at the pulley 82, which is transversely supported by a rod90, which is connected to the hinge means 18, 18, each of the hingemeans being supported from the truck by a swinging rod 92, 92. Theswinging rods or hinged posts 92, 92 are hingedly engaged by pivots 94,94, to the truck 10. The steel or iron car-top clamps of mechanism 64are supported by foam rubber pads 96, 96 from the roof of the cab of thetruck 10. A boat snubbing post 100 may be provided on the eX- tension orarm 16 for supporting the boat from movement in a forward direction.

The frame of the carrier may be constructed of industrial steel tubingand other suitable material, and many parts such as the winch, pulleysand rollers are available from stock and may be arranged in accord ancewith the invention.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a similar embodiment with similarreference numerals, but wherein keel rollers 106, 106 are provided inaddition to the pulley or keel roller 82 provided at the rear end of theboat carrier.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an automobile 110 in which a similar type of boatcarrier having horizontal members forming the Y-shape constructionincluding the extension or arm 16, and two upper arms 14, 14, glides 80,a boat snubbing post 100, the pulleys as shown, the keel rollers, isshown and is mounted similarly to function as has been described inconnection with the pickup truck 10. However, there is mounted on theforward portion of the opposing extension arm 20 a winch 114 for workingthe boat ca-ble upon it, as has been described in connection with FIGS.1 and 2. The crank arm 116 for the winch 114 is mounted at the end of ashaft 118, and in this way ease in operation of the winch 114 isaccomplished.

Also shown in FIG. 5 and indirectly illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, is a setof web straps 120, 120 provided to anchor the pulley mechanism 64 ontothe roof of the automobile or other vehicle, as shown.

It is seen by the illustrations and description of the mechanism of theinvention that the boat carrier has the advantage of ease inconstruction and operation, and is substantially sturdy for achievingthe objects and advantages of the invention.

Additional embodiments of the invention in this speification will occurto others and therefore it is intended that the scope of the inventionbe limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodimentsdescribed hereinabove. Accordingly reference should be made to thefollowing claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-loading boat carrier comprising a Y-frame having a hinge atthe upper free ends of the Y-frame and opposing extension arms at theother ends thereof, a pulley mounted on one of the opposing extensionarms, a pair of hinged posts one end of which is adapted to be hingedlymounted from a frame portion of the automobile or truck, and the otherend connected to the free ends of the Y-frame, a Winch and crank armmounted from said Y-frame, a series 'of keel rollers mounted along themid-portion of said Y-frame, and a roofmounted pulley mechanism for theY-frarne to engage in rolling contact, a boat snubbing post beingdisposed on the lower portion of said Y-frame, and said roof-mountedpulley mechanism being clamped upon the roof of said automobile or truckby a set of web straps to anchor it thereto, said roof-mounted pulleymechanism having a pulley being centrally mounted on said roof and inalignment with said pulleys of said opposing extension arms and saidwinch so that a cable provided on said winch and said pulleys is reeledtherebetween.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pair of free arms ofthe Y-frame are provided with a set of glides to assist the boat beingunloaded onto the boat carrier.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein a foam 4 rubber pad isdisposed beneath the roof-mounted pulley mechanism.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the winch and crank armare mounted from beneath a midportion of the Y-frame.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said crank arm is mountedfrom an extended shaft member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,613,020 10/1952 Berry 214-4502,858,951 11/1958 Cobluck 214-505 2,968,413 1/1961 Heckman 2145053,048,291 8/1962 Mabry 214450 3,082,892 3/1963 Cox 2l4505 HUGO O.SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

1. A SELF-LOADING BOAT CARRIER COMPRISING A Y-FRAME HAVING A HINGE ATTHE UPPER FREE ENDS OF THE Y-FRAME AND OPPOSING EXTENSION ARMS AT THEOTHER ENDS THEREOF, A PULLEY MOUNTED ON ONE OF THE OPPOSITE EXTENSIONARMS, A PAIR OF HINGED POSTS ONE END OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE HINGEDLYMOUNTED FROM A FRAME PORTION OF THE AUTOMOBILE OR TRUCK, AND THE OTHEREND CONNECTED TO THE FREE ENDS OF THE Y-FRAME, A WINCH AND CRANK ARMMOUNTED FROM SAID Y-FRAME, A SERIES OF KEEL ROLLERS MOUNTED ALONG THEMID-PORTION OF SAID Y-FRAME TO ENGAGE IN MOUNTED PULLEY MECHANISM FORTHE Y-FRAME, AND A ROOFROLLING CONTACT, A BOAT SNUBBING POST BEINGDISPOSED ON THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID Y-FRAME, AND SAID ROOF-MOUNTEDPULLEY MECHANISM BEING CLAMPED UPON THE ROOF OF SAID AUTOMOBILE OR TRUCKBY A SET OF WEB STRAPS TO ANCHOR IT THERETO, SAID ROOF-MOUNTED PULLEYMECHANISM HAVING A PULLEY BEING CENTRALLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROOF AND INALIGNMENT WITH SAID PULLEYS OF SAID OPPOSING EXTENSION ARMS AND SAIDWINCH SO THAT A CABLE PROVIDED ON SAID WINCH AND SAID PULLEYS IS REELEDTHEREBETWEEN.